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I don't follow a specific path but..

Messages
86
Spirituality is really important to me. It has been all my life, long before I got ill. I have a religious background but always been an independent thinker and very soon no one path gave me the answers I needed. I could go into what I believe and why, but those things are deeply personal to each of us.

On a more practical level, I've realised that acceptance, surrender and letting go are the tools that work for me at this stage in my life.

I accept where I am right here, right now. I accept who I am and what I'm dealing with. I might not like it, but I accept it.

I surrender to the universe because although I do the best I can each day, the universe and/or whatever is behind it, if anything, may well have something else in mind for me. I have to trust that I am only a minute pebble on the infinite beach of life.

Life is constantly changing; everything is transient, so I let go rather than grasp hold of things. I know that what I feel today may not be the case tomorrow; I know that who I am and what I love today may not be the same; and who I know and love today may be gone from my life tomorrow.

None of these things are easy for me, but are a work in progress.
 

allyann

Senior Member
Messages
418
Location
Melbourne Australia
nicely put @Lissyleigh. I am also spiritual, but no longer follow a particular religion. I do find that if I can quieten my mind, I too can surrender to the universe and listen to its teachings. I wonder if pre-illness I could ever have achieved the stillness that I do now.

Do you meditate? I have been using a wonderful meditation app (insight timer) and doing a lot of mindfulness meditations working on acceptance and also for pain relief.
 
Messages
86
Hi Ally, thanks for your reply. Yes I do meditate, I have done for a long time although I'm not always great at doing it daily! In the last few years I've found it is absolutely essential to me in being able to manage my illness. I go downhill really fast if I don't do it. I've also found it helpful with acceptance and to gain a sense of perspective on everything. On a daily basis I find it keeps me calmer and more focussed during the day.

I definitely wouldn't have achieved the same stillness pre-illness as I've changed so massively both as a result of being ill and just generally through other life experiences and maturity. I've been ill all of my adult life sadly so I've had to grow with it and learn from its lessons.

I'm glad you resonate with being able to surrender. I find it really helpful now, but it has taken me a very long time and a lot of pain (not just illness related) to reach this point.

What types of med do you do? I like mindfulness med focussed on the breath and some Buddhist med. I do guided ones sometimes too.
 
Messages
86
Sorry my laptop crashed as I was trying to edit my reply so on my phone now. I couldn't read the last part of your post properly as my concentration went! I will have to check out the app. By mindfulness med do you mean breathwork body awareness etc?
 

allyann

Senior Member
Messages
418
Location
Melbourne Australia
What types of med do you do? I like mindfulness med focussed on the breath and some Buddhist med. I do guided ones sometimes too.

I do a lot of the same. I particularly like Jon Kabbit-Zinn Mindfulness Meditation for Pain Relief. I have also listened to the audio book The Compassionate Mind by Paul Gilbert which I got a lot out of.